An Aeroméxico plane on the runway at Felipe Ángeles International Airport, March 21. Rodrigo Oropeza
Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) will soon no longer be an empty shell. The Mexican government announced Tuesday that more than 100 daily commercial operations will be transferred from the old to the new airport in the capital, which previously had only a dozen flights. In addition, cargo and charter flights will be relocated with immediate effect. The announcement comes in response to Saturday’s serious incident at Mexico City International Airport (AICM) in which two planes came close to colliding.
The agreement reached between the government and the airlines sees more than 100 daily operations between landings and take-offs at AIFA from August 15, according to a statement released by the Interior Ministry. The airlines that operate in the AICM and bear tax debts for more than a year must also move to another airport. Charter and domestic cargo flights will be immediately transferred to the new terminal. The government estimates that in 90 days the necessary infrastructure will be ready to accommodate additional international cargo flights.
The government has stressed that the transfer plan is the result of “close cooperation” between the authorities and the airlines and not an imposition by decree. Further details on the new flight offer will be announced in the next few days. However, Undersecretary of State Rogelio Jiménez Pons, in an interview with El Financiero, has stated that the weight of the transfer will be shared between the country’s three main airlines. Aeroméxico will take about 30 routes to AIFA; Volaris, 20; and VivaAerobús, another 10.
With these measures and the ban on opening new AICM routes, the executive intends to reduce congestion at the country’s main airport. The pressure to solve this year-long problem has increased since a serious incident between two planes was reported last weekend. A video that has gone viral showed a device poised to land on a runway already occupied by another plane. The pilot of the first had to fly again to avoid an accident.
The incident sparked alarm among citizens and led to the resignation of the head of the aviation agency, Victor Hernández. The government blamed the incident on human error on the part of the air traffic controller, while the industry union accused aviation authorities of tiring working hours and the shortage of air traffic controllers. In addition, the union assured that incidents had increased by 300% in the last year. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Monday there was no danger, but called a meeting to “put order in the chaos.”
In addition to reducing activities at AICM, the government’s plan also aims to revive AIFA. Since inaugurating just over a month and a half ago, the new facilities have operated with just six daily domestic flights and an occasional connection to Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, a lack of activity that has angered López Obrador. The distance to the city center – more than an hour away – and difficult access has put customers and airlines off.
So far, the government had tried to encourage the transfer to AIFA through tax cuts. The Airport Use Fee (TUA), which the airports charge the airlines and convert to the ticket price, is around 50% cheaper in the AIFA compared to the AICM. In parallel, López Obrador has started discussions with airline executives to expand their offer.
Saturday’s incident accelerated the sentencing campaign. The government used the event to tighten the screws and overcome corporate reluctance. It remains to be seen whether passengers will follow this decision despite longer and more expensive journeys from home.
The agreement also addresses another issue that has limited AIFA’s expansion of new routes. Almost a year ago, Mexico lost flight safety category 1 granted by the US Federal Aviation Administration. The deterioration is preventing Mexican airlines from starting flights to the northern country, its main overseas destination. In the statement, the government reiterated its intention to “double efforts” to regain the highest category. However, analysts doubt that will happen before the summer.
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